Electric light



B. S. FLORADAY ELECTRIC LIGHT March 6, 1934.

Filed Jan. 11, 1932 INVENTOR Zzcran SC/"Zara day;

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICLIGHT Application January 11, 1932, Serial No. 586,048

15 Claims.

This invention relates generally to lights of the self-containedportable unit type wherein a light bulb at the upper end of a batterycasing is under the control of a switch within a base at the lower I endof said casing, and refers more particularly to the switch structurethereof.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to produce a switchwherein means is provided for interrupting or opening the light bulbcir- "1'0 cuit when the base is placed on a support such as a table,desk, etc., but which is operable automatically to close the light bulbcircuit when the base is lifted and carried about in the hand.

Another object is to produce a switch wherein l'l means is provided formaintaining the light bulb circuit closed regardless of whether the baseis on or oif the support aforesaid.

A further object is to produce a switch wherein means is provided forinterrupting the light bulb "'20 circuit regardless of whether the baseis on or off the said support.

A further object is to produce a switch wherein a plunger engageablewith the support is capable v of both longitudinal and turning movementsand 26 is associated with the movable switch contact element in such away that the latter may be moved both vertically and horizontally by theplunger.

A further object is to produce a switch that is a self-contained unitwhich may be easily and quickly attached to or detached from the base ofthe light.

A further object is to produce a switch wherein tongues struck out fromthe disc supporting plunger guide constitute stationary switch contactelements and eifectively hold the guide in operative position on thedisc.

A further object is to provide a switch unit wherein a spring serving tohold the battery in raised operative position relative to the light bulbhas an extension that constitutes a follower for the movable switchcontact element and urges the latter into proper contacting relationwith the stationary contact element.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of .construction of thisinvention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,especially when'considered in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

33 Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a light embodying myinvention;

1; Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the lower end'of thelight and showing the base restingup'on a support;

55 Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 and showing the parts afterthe base has been lifted from the support;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the switch unit per se;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 56 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the plunger guide.

Referring now to the drawing, 1 is the base adapted to rest upon asuitable support 2 such as a table and having a central chamber 3 withopenings 4 and 5 respectively at the top and bottom thereof, 6 is atubular casing threadedly engaging the walls of the opening 4; 7 is adome, preferably of glass mounted in the upper end of the casing 6; 8 isan electric light bulb within the dome 7 and having its terminal 9anchored within the upper end of the casing 6; 11 is an electric batterywithin the casing and preferably comprising two dry cells, and 12 is theelectric switch unit in the base and including a spring 13 for holdingthe battery 11 in engagement with the bulb terminal 9. As shown, thisswitch unit 12 preferably comprises a disc 15 fastened by screws 16 tothe top wall 17 of the opening 5, a plunger 18 of insulating materialmovable in an opening 19 in the disc and engageable with the support 2,a circular body 20 of insulating material on the disc 15 andconstituting a guide for 85 the plunger 18, an electric contact element21 fastened by a bolt 22 and nut 23 to the upper end of the plunger 18and provided at diametrically opposite points thereof with radiallyextending arms 24 and 25 respectively that are adapted to be received inradially extending grooves 26, 27, 28, 29, and 31 respectively in theupper edge of the guide 20; tongues 32 struck out from the disc 15 andcrimped over the bases 33, 34, 35 and 36 respectively of the recesses26, 27, 28 and 95 29 respectively, holding the body 20 on the disc 16and constituting switch contacts adapted to be engaged by the arms 24and 25 of the contact element 21, and a segmental sheet 37 of insulatingmaterial on the disc 15 at one side of the guide 20 and constituting aseat for the spring 13. Preferably this spring 13 comprises a strip ofsheet metal fastened by a bolt 38 and nut 39 to the disc 15 and sheet 37and is provided inwardly of the bolt 38 with an extension 40 thatoverlies and constitutes a follower for the plunger 18.

In use, the follower 40 bears against the nut 23 on the upper end of theplunger 18 at all times except when the arms 24 and 25 are on or justabove the bases 41 and 42 respectively of the recesses 30 and 31. Whenthe arms 24 and 25 of the contact element 21 on the plunger 18 are inthe recesses 30 and 31 the circuit is interrupted regardless of whetherthe base 1 is on or oil the support 2. For example when the base 1 is onthe support 2, the arms 24 and 25 will be held by the plunger in raisedposition above the bases 41 and 42 respectively of said recesses. As aresult the circuit to the bulb 8 is interrupted. When the base 1 islifted from the support the follower 40 will urge the plunger 18downwardly until the arms 24 and 25 rest upon the bases 41 and 42.However, such bases 41 and 42 are of insulating material so that thecircuit to the bulb 8 is still interrupted. Should it be desired to havethe circuit to the bulb 8 interrupted when the base 1 is on the supportbut closed when the base is lifted from the support, the plunger 18 ispressed inwardly and turned by hand so that .the arms 24 and 25 will bereceived in the recesses 26 and 27. Thus when the base 1 is on thesupport thearms 24 and 25 are held by the plunger 18 above the contacts32 on the bases 33 and 34 of said recesses, but as soon as the base 1 islifted the follower 40 will urge the arms 24 and 25 into properengagement with the contacts 32 on said bases 33 and 34 and the circuitto the bulb 8 ,will accordingly be closed. Likewise if it should bedesired to have the circuit closed regardless of whether the base 1 ison or ofi of the support the plunger 18 may be raised and turned by handso that the arms 24 and 25 will be received in the recesses 28 and 29,whereupon such arms will be urged by the follower 40 into properengagement with the contact elements 32 on the bases 35 and 36. In thisconnection it will be noted that the recesses 26, 28 and 30 correspondto the recesses 27, 29 and 31 respectively and are in stepped relation.Consequently the desired results may be obtained by simply adjusting theplunger 18 so that the arms 24 and 25 respec- ,tively will be receivedin the proper recesses in the body 20.

I What I claim as my invention is:

1. An electric switch unit for use in the bases of lamps of theself-contained portable unit type, including a supporting member, abattery contact member on the supporting member and having a spring arm,a plunger movable in the supporting member toward and away from thespring arm, a guide for the plunger on the supporting member, and meansfor establishing an electrical connection between the supporting memberand arm including parts associated with the plunger and guide renderedeffective when the plunger is in one position relative to the guide andrendered ineffective when the plunger is in another position relative tothe guide.

'2. An electric switch unit for use in the bases of lamps of theself-contained portable unit type, including a supporting member, abattery contact member on the supporting member and having a spring arm,a plunger movable in the supporting member toward and away from thespring arm, a guide for the plunger on the supporting member, and meansfor establishing an electrical connection between the supporting memberand arm including cooperating electric contact elements carried by theplunger and guide respectively, rendered effective when the plunger isin either of two positions relative to the guide and renderedineffective when the plunger is in a third position relative to theguide. '3. An electric switch unit for use in the bases of lamps of theself-contained portable unit type, including a supporting member, abattery contact member on the supporting member and having a spring arm,a plunger mounted in the supporting member for both rotary andlongitudinal movements relative to the arm, a guide for the plunger 0nthe supporting member, and means for establishing an electricalconnection between the supporting member and arm including electriccontacts carried by the guide at spaced points thereof, and an electriccontact element carried by the plunger and successively engageable withsaid contacts.

4. An electric switch unit for use in the bases of lamps of theself-contained portable unit type, including a supporting member, abattery contact member on the supporting member and having a spring arm,a plunger mounted in the supporting member for both rotary andlongitudinal movements relative to the arm, means for guiding theplungerincluding a body of insulating material on the supporting memberprovided with stepped radially extending grooves, and means for makingand breaking an electrical connection between the supporting member andarm including electric contacts in certain of said grooves, and anelectric contact carried by the plunger, adapted upon rotation of theplunger to successively engage the grooves aforesaid, and adapted uponlongitudinal movement of the plunger to engage the contacts in saidgrooves.

5. An electric switch unit for use in the bases of lamps of theself-contained portable unit type,

including a supporting member, a battery contact member on thesupporting member and having a spring arm, a plunger movable in thesupporting member relative to the arm, a guide for the plunger on thesupporting member, and means for establishing an electrical connectionbetween the supporting member and arm, including an electric contactelement on the plunger, and parts struck out from the supporting memberholding the guide and adapted to be successively engaged by the electriccontact element on the plunger.

6. In an electric switch for lights of the selfcontained portable unittype, an electric contact element mounted for both rotary andlongitudinal movements, a plurality of fixed electric contacts arrangedin stepped relation and adapted to be successively engaged by the firstmentioned element, and actuating means for the first mentioned elementincluding a spring pressed plunger mounted for both rotary andlongitudinal movements.

7. A switch for lights of the self-contained portable unit typeincluding a member attachable to the base of a light, cooperating fixedand movable switch elements on the member, and actuating means for themovable element including a plunger movable in the member and engageablewith a support for the base, and a battery contact spring carried by thebase and having a portion for actuating the plunger when disengaged fromthe support for the base.

8. An electric switch for use in the base of a light of theself-contained portable unit type, including a member attachable to thelight base, a battery contact element on the member and having a springarm, a plunger movable toward and away from said arm, a guide for saidplunger carried by the member, said plunger being mounted for bothrotary and longitudinal movements in said guide, an electric contactelement carried by and movable with said plunger, and

a series or electric contact elements carried by said guide so as to besuccessively engageable with the contact element carried by the plunger.

9. An electric switch for use in the base of a light of theself-contained portable unit type, including a member attachable to thelight base, a battery contact element on the member and having a springarm, a plunger movable toward and away from said arm and mounted forboth rotary and longitudinal movements in the member, a guide for theplunger provided with a series of radially extending recesses, anelectric contact element carried by the plunger and movable thereby intosaid recesses, and electric contact elements in certain of said recessesin the path of and adapted to be engaged by the contact elementaforesaid when it is received in said recesses.

10. An electric switch for use in the base of lamps of theself-contained portable unit type, including a metal member attachableto the base of the lamp and having an opening therein, a body ofinsulating material on the member and having an opening in alignmentwith the opening in the member, and provided at one end of said openingwith radially extending recesses, a plunger of insulating materialmounted for both rotary and longitudinal movements in said alignedopenings, an electric contact element carried by said plunger andmovable thereby into said recesses, and electric contacts in certain ofsaid recesses and cooperating with the member to hold the body on saidmember.

11. In an electric switch, a metallic supporting member attachable tothe base of a lamp, a body of insulating material on said member, havingmeans for guiding a plunger and having recesses for receiving anelectric contact element carried by the plunger, and electric contactsin certain of said recesses and cooperating with said member to hold thebody on said member.

12. In an electric switch, a plunger, a guide for the plunger, anelectric contact element carried by the plunger and movable over theguide, and a support for the guide having struck-out portions holdingthe guide on the support and forming electric contact elements forengagement by the contact element carried by the plunger.

13. In an electric switch, a plunger, a guide for the plunger, anelectric contact element carried by the plunger, a support for theguide, and electric contact elements on the guide engageable by thecontact element on the plunger and cooperating with the support tosecure the guide thereto.

14. In combination, a lamp base having means for supporting an electricbattery, and an electric switch including a disc secured to the base, abattery contact element on the disc and having a spring arm, a body ofinsulating material on the disc and having radially extending recessesof various depths therein, a plunger of insulating material mounted forboth rotary and longitudinal movements in the body aforesaid, an electric contact carried by the plunger engageable with the spring arm andsuccessively engageable with the recesses, and tongues projecting fromthe disc into certain of said recesses and engageable by the electriccontact carried by the plimger.

15. An electric switch unit of the class described, ccmprising a discattachable to the base of a lamp, a battery contact element on the discand having a movable arm, a body of insulating material carried by thedisc and having recesses therein, a body of insulating material movablein the body aforesaid, an electric contact carried by the last mentionedbody engageable with the arm and successively engageable with therecesses, and tongues projecting from the disc into certain of saidrecesses and engageable by the electric contact carried by the lastmentioned body.

BURTON S. FLORADAY.

